Classical Liberal Concepts and Thinkers

What is included within natural rights?

Natural rights are: self-ownership, free will, life, liberty, personal beliefs/values

What do classical liberals believe about individualism?

Egotistical individualism → Humans are self-interested and owe nothing to society, humans merely pursue their own interests

What do classical liberals believe about society?

Atomistic view of society→ Society is just a collection of individuals, the whole is not more important than the individual

What do classical liberals believe about equality?

There should be formal equality of opportunity, discrimination based on irrational factors should not happen so everyone can achieve based on merit → individuals should have rights and freedoms to improve themselves

What do classical liberals believe about the economy?

Laissez-faire economics → The economy is most efficient if it is left alone and individuals are able to make their own decisions about what to buy, where to work etc

What is social Darwinism

If humans are naturally rational and free to make their own decisions, any inequality that happens then is that individual's fault and because they weren't strong enough

What type of freedom do Classical liberals support?

Negative freedom- freedom FROM things which inhibit the individual

John Locke on self-ownership: "The most precious of all possessions...

...is power over ourselves"

John Locke on equality: "All men by nature are equal...

...in that equal right that every man hath to his natural freedom"

John Locke on the limits upon the state: "Whenever legislators endeavour to take away and destroy the property of the people...

...[...]they put themselves into a state of war with the people, who are thereupon absolved from any further obedience"

John Locke on the state as a necessary evil: "Where laws do not exist,...

....man has no freedom"

John Locke on the most important natural rights: "Life, liberty...

...and property"

JS Mill having a classical liberal moment on taxation: ​​"To tax the larger incomes at a higher percentage than the smaller, is[...]

...to impose a penalty on people for having worked harder and saved more than their neighbours."

JS Mill on the despotism of custom: "Whatever crushes individuality is despotism,...

...by whatever name it may be called"

JS Mill on free speech and the marketplace of ideas: "All silencing of discussion is...

...an assumption of infallibility"

What was Mill's work and when was it written?

On Liberty (1859)

What was Locke's letter on religious tolerance when was it written?

1689: A Letter Concerning Toleration

What are a Classical Liberal's views on welfare?

They view excessive welfare as a corruption of independent and competent human nature-- opposition to dependency culture

What did Adam Smith write and when?

The Wealth of Nations (1776)

Adam Smith on the importance of allowing individual economic endeavour: "Individual ambition serves...

...the common good"-- free market

What do all Liberals agree on about the economy?

Support for capitalism-- the competitive nature of it works with human nature

What is a classical liberal's model of the relationship between government and people?

A social contract which the people rationally and consensually enter-- the government protects the peoples property and the people accept the government as a necessary evil

In what work did Locke outline his idea of the social contract?

Two Treatises of Government (1690)

What do Classical Liberals view as the correct ROLE of the state?

To protect property and all other natural rights-- nothing more nothing less

What do Classical Liberals view as the correct SIZE of the state?

Minimal as to not infringe on liberty with an overreaching government

How did Mill's idea of the harm principle call for limited government?

It said that the government should not intervene in self-regarding behaviours, even if it harms the individual they have the rationality and independence to decide this for themselves

Mill's individualism: "the only freedom which deserves the name, is...

...that of pursuing our own good"

In what famous text did John Locke outline his views on human nature?

'An Essay Concerning Human Understanding' (1689)

Locke: "we are born free as...

...we are born rational"

Rawls: "in a just society, the liberties...

...of equal citizenship are taken as settled"

"The more equality there is established among men,...

...the more virtue and happiness will reign in society."